LOS ANGELES, USA, Jan 23 – Jimmy Butler has been suspended by the Miami Heat for the second time in three weeks after he missed a team flight to Milwaukee.
The 35-year-old forward was suspended for seven NBA matches by the Heat earlier this month for “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team”.
Butler returned from that suspension last Friday but missed a team flight on Wednesday, incurring a further two-match ban.
The Heat, who said they would listen to trade offers following Butler’s first suspension, said he will miss games against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday and the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.
“We have suspended Jimmy Butler for two games for [a] continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team, including missing today’s team flight to Milwaukee,” read a Heat statement.
Butler, a six-time NBA All-Star, joined the Heat from the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019.
He has made 25 appearances this season, averaging 17 points, 4.8 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game.
The NBA trade deadline is 6 February.
‘It was nothing special’
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hit a career-high 54 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Utah Jazz 123-114 at home to consolidate their position at the top of the Western Conference.
“It was no different from any other night,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I had a few more points tonight, but it was nothing special.”
The Boston Celtics pulled off a 117-113 overtime win at the Los Angeles Clippers.
Jaylen Brown scored 25 points and Jayson Tatum 24 for the Celtics.
The Sacramento Kings overcame an 18-point deficit to beat the Golden State Warriors 123-117 at home thanks to 32 points from DeMar DeRozan and 26 from Domantas Sabonis.
The Cleveland Cavaliers lost 109-108 at the Houston Rockets, while the Minnesota Timberwolves won 115-144 at the Dallas Mavericks.
